Favourites were bundled out of the competition by unsung heroes, as well as each other, in the knockout phase of the pairs at the 87th nationals in Dunedin yesterday.
To get from 170 down to the last 16 in one day there were always going to be casualties. It was also going to take some time, and play continued well into the long southern summer evening.
Making it to the last 32 proved the most difficult step as the draw threw together a number of favourites.
Ray Park and Ray Savage, of Wanganui, progressed at the expense of Christchurch-based under-30 New Zealand representative Glenn McDonald.
Rowan Brassey and Ross Haresnape, from Auckland, disposed of expatriate New Zealander Richard Girvan, playing with another to have worn the silver fern, Ian Meyer, from the Manawatu.
Another Auckland side, Pat Campbell and Danny Delaney, fell at the composite hands of Gary Lawson and Adam Newman (Canterbury). But Newman snr did not fare so well, Lou Newman with Sean Robertson (Wellington) going out to the other half of his own fours combination, Rex Knox and Bruce Henderson.
The fancied combination of Mike Kernaghan and Sean O'Neill (Kaikorai) fought a close duel with Kevin Robinson, of Tokoroa, before going down 16-15.
Bowls: Favourites find going tough in pairs
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